1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in a data and signal transfer function in a data control apparatus to be connected to an external equipment such as a host computer for transferring a signal and data.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, for a generator such as a signal generator for outputting some data and signal to an object, the data and signal output by the generator are retained in an external equipment, for example, a host computer and a necessary signal and data are given to the generator. According to such a configuration, the components of the generator such as memory for storing the data output to the object and a memory controller can be lessened.
Likewise, in a measuring equipment for executing some measurement, the measurement result is given to an external equipment. As the measurement result is not stored in the measuring equipment, the memory of the measuring equipment for retaining the measurement result can be lessened.
The signal generator and the measuring equipment transfer some data to and from an external equipment and control the transfer operation and therefore will be hereinafter collectively called data control apparatus.
As means for giving data from an external equipment to a data control apparatus and means for giving the measurement result from a data control apparatus to an external equipment, the following are possible: FIG. 7 shows a configuration example wherein a data control apparatus and an external equipment are connected through a dedicated interface such as RS232C or GP-IB for transferring data.
In FIG. 7, an operation control section 2 of a data control apparatus 30 has a signal and data generation function or a measurement function. The data control apparatus 30 is connected to an external equipment 100 through a communication interface section 7 and the operation control section 2 operates according to a command of a user interface section 1 and data is transferred through the operation control section 2 and the communication interface section 7 to and from the external equipment 100. The external equipment 100 and the data control apparatus 30 are operated by a dedicated communication command through the communication interface section 7.
FIG. 8 shows a configuration example wherein data is transferred between a data control apparatus and an external equipment via a removable storage medium of an FDD, etc. In FIG. 8, an operation control section 2 of a data control apparatus 40 operates according to a command of a user interface section 1 and data (file) is transferred through the operation control section 2 and a file system control section 3 to and from a storage medium 200.
FIG. 9 shows a configuration example wherein data is transferred between a data control apparatus and an external equipment through a network. In FIG. 9, a communication interface section 7 of a data control apparatus 50 is connected to an external equipment 100 through a network 300. An operation control section 2 of the data control apparatus 50 operates according to a command of a user interface section 1 and data (file) is transferred through the operation control section 2 and a file system control section 3 to and from the external equipment 100.
As a measuring equipment requiring this kind of function, for example, in a waveform measuring equipment, etc., the data amount of the waveform, etc., processed in the measuring equipment grows and the computation amount also increases with improvement of the analysis function, resulting in large load on the measuring equipment; this is a problem.
Hitherto, to solve this problem, a general-purpose computer has been connected to a measuring equipment and has performed processing involving computations taking much time and has transmitted the result to the measuring equipment.
JP-A-2004-53513 is referred to as a related art.
JP-A-2004-53513 discloses a configuration wherein a measuring equipment and a general-purpose computer are connected through a network for transferring data therebetween.
In the configuration in FIG. 7, the external equipment and the data control apparatus are connected through the dedicated communication interface and thus a dedicated command to the data control apparatus needs to be used and to transfer data, the user needs to create a program using the command and operate the program in the external equipment such as a host computer. Particularly, for input/output of a data string, the data format varies from one equipment to another and program creation becomes intricate. In addition, expert knowledge is required for program creation and a work burden is also placed on the user.
In the configuration in FIG. 8, the standard of a removal storage medium is rapidly changed or discarded and often does not match the lifetime of a data control apparatus. For example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive is still included in a personal computer as standard equipment; in fact, however, it is less used. Generally, JAZZ ZIP, etc., is scarcely used. Thus, it may become impossible to write or read the data stored on a storage medium as the standard is changed.
In the configuration in FIG. 9, it is assumed that the used network is a network such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and to transfer data, the data control apparatus and the external equipment need to be associated with each other and unique addresses in the network, such as IP addresses need to be assigned.
Then, data transfer is made possible. However, for example, at an experiment site, etc., a generator and a measuring equipment are used temporarily at the necessary time and the system is modified frequently. Setting the unique addresses each time is intricate work for the user. That is, the unique addresses in the network are the resources of the network and acquiring and returning the unique addresses from and to the network administrator are intricate.